God's face

[InternalFlame]

I'm not talking about the steriotyped imagery already out there, but what is the first image that pops into your head when you hear the name God?

This type of thread was in a few other boards, with some interesting results, so I thought I would try it here

[Christ's Free Servant]

When I hear the name of God I don't see a physical being in my mind. I feel his presence and I think about who he is and what he means to me. I don't see a face but I do see his tender eyes and I feel his touch and I hear his voice speaking to me and I see his arms open wide for me to come to him. When I hear his name it is like hearing the name of my very best friend or my loving father. I see Jesus healing the sick or comforting the sorrowful or encouraging the discouraged or rebuking the wayward or teaching his disciples to follow him or performing miracles or making someone to feel special who has been mistreated. When I hear the name of God I think of love and kindness and tenderness and correction and instruction and leadership and my Savior and my God and my coming King. I think of who he is, not what he looks like.

[larryt]

Re 1:14 His head and [his] hairs [were] white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes [were] as a flame of fire;

Da 7:9

[Leonard]

Just try looking in a mirror (II Cor 3:18).

[nebula]

A light so white and bright you can't see into it.

[Constant]

I'm not talking about the steriotyped imagery already out there, but what is the first image that pops into your head when you hear the name God?

This type of thread was in a few other boards, with some interesting results, so I thought I would try it here

When I hear the word God I think of everything good. Not a person but everything. Kinda hard to explain.

[Work in Progress]

Re 1:14 His head and [his] hairs [were] white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes [were] as a flame of fire;

Da 7:9

[st. Worm]

As some have noted, the Bible sometimes uses human imagery and anthropomorphic language to describe the appearance of God since we humans cannot fathom the real God. For example, when the Bible talks about Jesus being at the "right hand of the Father" it is not a literal right hand for his right hand is indeed everywhere. God is a Spirit, eternal and invisible. He is all knowing, present everywhere, yet incomprehensible. He is not a bright light at the end of a tunnel that television and the like wants us to believe.

He is knowable to us only through his Word, his written word and his Only Begotten Son, our Lord and Savior. When his foolish disciples said show us the Father and we will believe you his response was when you see me you have seen the Father.

No one can look upon God in His full glory and live. Even Moses was cautioned to turn his head and he was given a mere glimpse of the back side of God. For us, Jesus is the back side of God, not God in his full glory which would incinerate us immediately, but God hidden in the form of a man. Hidden in weakness and suffering, even homeliness as Isaiah writes. We should not look past the cross to speculate about a god of our own imagination. He is not an old man sitting on a big throne like a wise grandpa, just as the devil is not a man in a red suit with a pitchfork, horns, and a pointy tail.

On a side note, I always laugh now when I remember how the mega church I used to attend had some handsome bodybuilder play Jesus in the Christmas pageant. Certainly our real Savior was nothing like that according to Scriptures. Isaiah said his appearance was nothing special and rather plain.

[Gerioke]

He looks like me, only better

[boblandis]

Bright.